"Music Should Not Be Divided by Region or Language": BTS Boycotts the Grammys

BTS has announced it will not submit any music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards, set to take place in February next year. The group expressed clear opposition to Grammy’s decision to create a new category titled “Best Asian Pop Music Performance,” stating, “We hope music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.” This move represents a declaration to protect Korean identity on the global music stage.

In March of last year, BTS achieved worldwide success with the release of its fifth studio album, *ARIRANG*, which topped both Billboard’s main single and album charts in the United States. One of the album’s tracks, “Aliens,” explores themes of identity and aspirations as a Korean artist on the global stage through the metaphor of outsiders. The lyrics convey a determination to “create our own standards as we move forward” and emphasize that “our unique perspectives and thoughts make us special,” while also critiquing the Western mainstream music industry with phrases like “You guys with your insanely big eyes saying…”

Thanks to fans’ streaming support, “Aliens” reached number one on iTunes’ Top Songs chart in 78 countries worldwide. This outcome illustrates how widely BTS’s message against dividing music by region or language has resonated.

Critics argue that Grammy’s decision to group Korean, Chinese, and Japanese popular music under a single category labeled “Asia” reflects a Western-centric mindset. Although K-pop’s chances of winning at the Grammys may seem higher now, experts believe the likelihood of achieving significant success in major pop categories remains very low. This is interpreted as an attempt to restrict K-pop’s growing influence in global markets.

BTS first appeared on the Grammy stage in 2019, and the following year, it became the first K-pop group to perform at the ceremony. From 2021 onward, the group was nominated for major categories such as “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance” for three consecutive years but failed to win any awards. Their recent decision represents a bold choice to forgo submission altogether rather than trying to fit themselves into Grammy’s criteria.

Fans expressed solidarity with BTS by using hashtags such as #WeStandWithBTS and Proud_of_BTS on social media. Notable figures like filmmaker Maggie Kang also supported their boycott. Meanwhile, BTS’s fan community, “ARMY,” helped push BTS’s 2018 song “Anpanman” to number one on Billboard’s “World Digital Song Sales” chart last December, and they continue to show support for “Aliens” following this Grammy boycott decision.

BTS’s statement, “I am grateful to ARMY and everyone who has always been by my side,” serves as proof of the strong trust and unity between the group and its fans.